This invention relates to a tool for use in preparing a fiber optic cable for termination with a fiber optic connector. The invention also relates to the method of preparing the fiber optic cable to permit simple and easy termination with a fiber optic connector.
A typical fiber optic cable generally consists of a centrally located optical fiber which is covered by a buffer layer, typically of silicone or some other like material. This buffered fiber is in turn covered by a layer of high tensile strength fibers which serve to protect the optical fiber. Typically these high tensile strength fibers are those commerically available under the trade name Kevlar.TM.. The strength fiber covered optical fiber is in turn surrounded by a plastic jacket.
In order to terminate the fiber optic cable with a fiber optic connector it is necessary to strip the jacket to a specific length to expose the strength fibers and the buffered fiber. The buffered fiber is stripped of buffer material to accomodate attachment of the optical fiber to the mating end of the connector. Furthermore, the strength fibers are prepared for attachment in a crimping arrangement to structural parts of the connector. As can be appreciated this involves the use of many tools and many steps resulting in a considerable waste of time and motion on the part of the worker.
In one specific arrangement such as disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 766,743 filed Aug. 16, 1985, and which disclosure is specifically incorporated by reference herein, a fiber optic cable is connected to the rear end of a fiber optic connector by inserting a metal sleeve as a support or base for a terminated portion of the strength layer and outer sheath. The metal sleeve is received between the buffer covered fiber and the strength layer with the cable then being inserted into the connector and an outer crimp sleeve being crimped onto the outer sheath of the cable thereby holding the outer sheath and strength layers between the metal sleeve support and the outer crimp sleeve. In preparing a cable for this particular type of arrangement, this becomes a rather tedious and difficult operation because generally the strength layer and the buffer layer are in very tight engagement and thus, insertion of the inner sleeve becomes difficult. Moreover, there is no precise way to ensure uniformity of distribution of the strength layer fibers about the inner sleeve and thus, often times when attached to a connector, the cable is not securely attached due to the fact that there are no strength layers located at one or another portion of the outer surface of the inner sleeve for crimping against the inner sleeve.
In the practice of the present invention, the above-identified problems are overcome by providing a tool which simplifies the preparation operation in a fool-proof manner and further ensures that the preparation of the cable is always done on a repeatable basis. Accordingly, by the use of such a tool a method of preparing such a fiber optic cable is also provided.